At 5 AM EDT Sunday, the center of Dennis was located near latitude 27.8 north and longitude 86.1 west, or about 170 miles south of Panama City, Florida . Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 145 mph with higher gusts, making Dennis a Dangerous Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Dennis is moving toward the north-northwest near 15 mph. Some strengthening is possible as Dennis continues its trek over the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the next 24 hours. Dennis is forecast to make landfall in the Pensacola / Mobile Bay area as a Category 4 hurricane late Sunday afternoon...

Hurricane Dennis has a very compact, intense center and could produce sustained winds of 145 mph upon landfall and storm surge values of 14 – 19 feet above normal tide levels just east of the landfall location. Conditions will continue to deteriorate across the panhandle of Florida as the storm progresses along the forecast track. Sustained tropical storm force conditions (sustained winds of 39 – 73 mph) are expected to begin during the overnight and early morning hours across the western and central panhandle. Hurricane force conditions (greater than 74 mph) are forecast to begin impacting the western panhandle on Sunday afternoon and persist through the evening hours.